Neuroblastoma (NB) is a tumor that develops in the adrenal gland or sympathetic ganglia, and the neural crest-derived cell is considered to be a neuroblastoma-developing cell. The clinical behavior of neuroblastoma is known to be characteristic. In the case of favorable tumor that develops in a person who is younger than 1 year old, programmed cell death (PCD) occurs and the tumor spontaneously disappears (i.e., spontaneous regression) without therapeutic intervention. Also, such favorable tumor differentiates and matures into favorable ganglioneuroma (GN). Unfavorable tumor, however, develops into advanced tumor, even if a potent chemotherapy is provided, which often results in death (Brodeur., et al., Nat Rev Cancer, 2003, 3, 203-216; and Westermann et al, Cancer Lett, 2002, 184, 127-147). In contrast, neuroblastoma that develops in a 1-year-old or older person is generally advanced, and a potent therapy composed of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy is necessary. When neuroblastoma is in stage 4 or the number of cancer genes (MYCN) is amplified, in particular, active therapy involving hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (e.g., bone marrow transplantation or peripheral blood stem cell transplantation) is performed. In the case of stage 4 neuroblastoma, however, the “5-year survival rate” is approximately 30%, even if the active therapy involving hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is performed. Accordingly, development of an effective method for detecting and treating neuroblastoma is awaited via discovery of a causative gene associated with neuroblastoma development and elucidation of functions of such gene.
Specifically, discovery of a causative gene for spontaneous regression of neuroblastoma, elucidation of the molecular mechanism thereof, and development of a novel method for detecting or diagnosing cancer based on such finding are desired. By detecting characteristics of the causative gene, an adequate therapy can be selected for a patient without performing useless therapy.